All that mattered to the Rhazgords was power. They also chose their leaders through duels. Yet throughout Rhazgord history, the king of the Rhazgords - the Rhazgords called their leader 'Sanguinar' - almost always came from the same family. The name of this family was Tiamat. The Tiamats were naturally very strong and could control the power of the Stone of Light very well. When the training received from the best warriors at a very young age combined with their innate abilities, they naturally took the lead.

Corvus Tiamat was the eldest son of the Sanguinar of Rhazgord, the demons had appeared when he was only 11 years old and since then he had travelled with every mercenary group sent against the demons. He soon proved himself and had his own unit. He was already one of the leaders of the mercenaries before he was eighteen.

It was clear to everyone that Corvus Tiamat would be the next Sanguinar, but there were others who wanted the leadership. The third expedition that Corvus had embarked on had brought about major changes in his life. The target of Corvus' third expedition was the former capital of the Adler Empire. The Adler Empire had been destroyed by the Sizat Empire, but their capital was left as a semi-dependent city-state of the Sizat Empire.

When Corvus and his mercenaries approached the city, the city was first alarmed, but soon the reason for the arrival of the mercenaries was revealed. The mercenaries told the leaders of the city that the demons would attack soon and that they had come to prevent the demons according to their beliefs. This calmed the people of the city to some extent. After a few days, the mercenaries were also allowed to enter the city. This was a decision taken both for the economy of the city and to develop good relations with the Rhazgords. Corvus, who had just turned 16 at the time, experienced his first shock at that moment. The architecture and organisation of the city impressed young Corvus. While his own people lived in a disorganised city of makeshift houses, this powerless country resembled a work of art. Young Corvus travelled around the city until late and then returned to the mercenaries camped outside the city.

Although the people of the city had lost their empire, they had preserved their culture. Corvus Tiamat was impressed by their architecture, with columns at its centre, and their advanced education and legal systems. Corvus initially considered the inhabitants of this city to be weak. Not only had they lost their empire, but they had also fallen under the rule of another empire. However, the architecture and layout of the city made Corvus question these thoughts.

In the morning there was news that the king of the city was coming to visit, so like the other commanders he went to the big tent in the centre of the camp. Although Corvus was sixteen years old, he had defeated the commander of the battalion he was attached to and replaced him. That is why he was also summoned.

Corvus had only been in the centre tent for a few minutes when word came that the king of the city had arrived. The king was a descendant of the former Emperor of Adler. The emperor and his entourage were dressed so splendidly that those who did not know would have thought that the empire was still standing. King Justinianus took a long look around the camp before dismounting. He was surprised to see an unexpected discipline from the barbarians. After dismounting, he entered the tent with a young man and two bodyguards.

The tent was simply furnished, with only a large table in the centre and a few maps on it. The smell of mouldy canvas and leather filled the air inside the tent, in stark contrast to the perfumes and scents often found in the king's palace. The absence of other odours, such as food or incense, only added to the feeling of emptiness. The lack of furniture and the foul odour surprised and somewhat unsettled King Justinianus. His mouth was dry from travelling, but there was nothing to drink or eat in sight. He felt his tongue covered with dust and dirt.

He could also see in the eyes of the commanders in the room that he was not respected. One of the commanders stepped forward and said something in Rhazgord language and held out his hand. The king did not understand a word of what the burly man said. Almost all the people on the continent spoke the same language, and this was one of the things the king was proud of, because it was the language of the Adler Empire. Different dialects of this language were spoken in certain parts of the continent, and different languages were spoken in places, but everyone on the continent knew the Adler language. It was disgraceful that the man in front of him - a soldier who controlled thousands of soldiers - did not know the Adler language.

When the young man in the room saw the king's puzzled expression, he felt the need to explain. "Our leader doesn't know much of your language, but he can understand what you say," he said with a slight smile. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he added: "He just greeted you." His tone was more confident than respectful.

This young man knew Adler, but he had a very thick accent. On top of that, he never used respect suffixes. The king was glad to at least have someone to talk to.

King Justinian started to speak with a proud attitude. "I am the great Justinianus, ruler of the Kingdom of Adler, descendant of Tiberius the Great," he said, puffing out his chest. He placed his right hand on his son's shoulder and introduced him as the heir to the throne: "Beside me stands my son and successor, Belisarius." His voice carried the weight of his titles and demanded respect from all who listened. Squinting, he added: "I have come here today to express my gratitude to all of you and to learn of your plans for the defence of my city."

Some of the soldiers in the room burst into laughter as the emperor spoke, and just as he said the words'the great Justinianus' , but the emperor finished without breaking stride. As soon as the laughter died down, the young man translated the leader's reply into Adler.

"I am Corvus Tiamat, son of the great - he grinned as he said this - Sanguinar Sakhaar Tiamat. The man you see beside me is Valerius Tiamat. Leader of our army and brother of our Sanguinar. Our leader appreciates your visit and your thanks. But he says his soldiers don't eat thanks."

Justinian could not understand most of the young man's words because of his heavy accent. But the way Corvus pointed and rubbed his stomach made it clear what his demands were.

"Of course we will not starve you, our friends who have come to support us. I assure you that food will be sent as soon as possible. In addition, of course, we have brought many gifts for you, our dear friends."

Valerius interrupted impatiently, "Meat! We want lots of meat!" he thundered. His harsh voice filled the room. Despite his limited vocabulary in the Adler language, he was able to express his wishes quite clearly. Frowning, he turned to Corvus for translation. The king nodded at Valerius' request. Valerius went to the head of the table and pulled one of the maps in front of him and began to explain it to Corvus. Soon after, Corvus took the map and pulled it in front of Justinian and began to explain. The map was a very detailed map of the king's city. The map reminded of the impending demon threat. That's why there was a heavy air in the room, causing the soldiers to be in a tense waiting.

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"They will come at us from all directions," Corvus warned, his thick accent making his words difficult to understand. "We'll cover south, east and west." His keen eyes scanned the map in front of them, and he pointed to each landmark with precision. "The north is your responsibility," he continued, addressing the king directly. Despite his young age, he had the demeanour of an experienced general. "The walls there are newer and stronger than the old ones to the south.It will be an easy defence." Corvus' confidence was evident as he outlined his strategy. "When their numbers dwindle, we can open the wall gate and they will flood in, making it easier for us to defeat them." The king could not hide his surprise at Corvus' last sentence.

"What do you mean by opening the wall gate? If we open the gate, the walls will be meaningless!"

Corvus said as if he was expecting this question , "Yes, this is our purpose. If we open the gate, demons will head towards the gate. Demons are big but stupid. If they all come at once, they will get stuck." and pointed to a point outside the city. "One of our squad will hide here. When the demons are stuck in the door, they will come from behind and we will trap the demons from both sides."

However, even if the plan seemed good, the king felt anxious. The narrow door with only one way in and out seemed both a blessing and a curse. Corvus looked directly into the king's eyes. His gaze demanded trust. "Defending the gate will be simple enough," Corvus said firmly. "Don't forget those hiding out there. They will attack the demons from behind while we destroy the demons in front of us."

The king understood the plan clearly, though Corvus' accent made it hard to understand. The plan was simple, but it sounded good. Besides, he only had to protect one front, which made his job easier. What bothered the king the most was that the map was too detailed. The 'Barbarians' had made a very detailed map of the city in a very short time and they knew all the weak points of the city. The fact that the barbarians had learnt so much in such a short time was both unexpected and terrifying.

"The demons are ours."

Corvus' voice interrupted the king's thoughts. He did not understand what he meant.

"So... the dead demons are ours."

This news was not very encouraging for the king. Corvus' demand for the demon corpses meant that he wanted to obtain the precious Stones of Light contained in their bodies. This meant that the kingdom would lose a strategic resource. The king tried to negotiate, but Corvus insisted on the demon corpses. He said they would leave otherwise. The king was forced to accept this offer. His army was small and the arrival of support from the Sizat Empire was as uncertain as the arrival of the demons. The king left a few of his soldiers there to learn the details of the defence plan and left the tent with his son to return to his city. He was about to mount his horse when he heard the voice of Corvus.

Corvus lowered his voice as he approached the king, as if sharing a secret, "Teach me how you build roads and houses like those in your city." He paused for a moment, raising his eyebrows as if trying to remember the word. "And those... those stone people. Statues! Yes, show me how you make statues." He kept his eyes on the king as he made his offer, hoping to catch his attention. A faint smile played on his lips, showing his eagerness and determination to learn from the ruler before him.

The youth before the king was the son of the king of Rhazgord. If the king helped Corvus, not only would he be on good terms with the future king of Rhazgord, but he would also obtain a small amount of the Stone of Light. This meant two birds with one stone, so the king immediately accepted the offer. He turned to his son standing beside him. Although his son was the same age as Corvus, Corvus looked much older than his age.

"Belisarius, I want you to look after Corvus, he is the son of a king like you. Stay here and help him learn everything he wants to know."

Thus began a long friendship between Corvus and Belisarius. Day after day, Corvus and Belisarius walked around the city, sometimes visiting artisans and scholars. While Belisarius was learning to be a warrior, Corvus was learning 'civilisation', a word he had just learnt and loved very much. This went on for three weeks, until one night the demons appeared out of nowhere.

The battle continued until daylight and the sun was at its zenith. Corvus fought at the forefront of this battle, proving once again his strength and leadership skills. The battle was hard fought, but the Rhazgords suffered few casualties. The same was true for the soldiers of the city. Even though his father did not want him to, Belisarius also fought hand to hand with the enemy and gained many supporters among the soldiers.

The first day after the battle was a sad one. The city was defended, but there were casualties. The next day was filled with the joy of victory. The Rhazgords celebrated with the joy of victory and the spoils. While the soldiers were celebrating, Corvus, who had mastered the Adler language, was on the city walls telling Belisarius about his dreams.

Corvus sighed heavily as he leaned against the cold stone walls of the city. His shoulders slumped and an expression of deep sadness appeared on his face, casting shadows under his tired eyes. "Your empire may have fallen, but your city and its laws still have the splendour of an empire," he murmured, his voice full of admiration. He took a deep breath before continuing, "But look at us. Every empire on this continent trembles at the name of the Rhazgords. Our warriors, whom everyone fears, defeat the demons that plague our world as easily as if they were nothing." A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "And what of our capital city? Nothing but a few mud huts!" He clenched his fists as he spoke, his voice growing louder and more passionate. "For us Rhazgords, the only measure of superiority is strength. We live by two things: Killing each other or killing our enemies." He lifted his head to meet Belisarius' gaze, his determined eyes shining. "But that must change. If I succeed, I will build an empire to rival the best of your ancestors and rule for a thousand years."

Belisarius listened to his friend's words, nodding his head in approval, but also with a hint of concern on his face. "You are right, Corvus," he said in a soft voice. "We have all the qualities you desire for your people, but what is left? A small city crushed under the oppressive rule of the Sizat Empire." A sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth but never quite reached his tired eyes. "But you Rhazgords are free! Do not underestimate the blessing you have been given." He put a hand on Corvus' shoulder, wanting to reassure his friend. His voice was soft. "But remember, these are your desires, not those of your people. They are accustomed to this way of life, and changing it may cause them to turn against you."

Corvus nodded defiantly at Belisarius' words. A fierce fire burned in his eyes, fuelled by his passionate beliefs. "My people worship power," he replied, his voice echoing off the walls. "The most powerful among us is a god, and he does as he pleases!" He pointed a finger at Belisarius' chest. "And when I am the strongest and choose to build roads like those in your city, no one will stand in my way!" He straightened his posture confidently and lifted his chin proudly.

Belisarius sighed wearily, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I know I can't change your mind, no matter what I say," he admitted in a low voice, avoiding Corvus" sharp gaze. "But I promise to stand by you and support you in any way I can." This time a genuine smile appeared on his face and reached his tired eyes.

The next day Corvus delivered the demon corpses he had promised the king. Corvus brought more demon corpses than he promised. In return for the extra corpses, he asked for materials and sculptors to build a great statue. He wanted to build a great statue in Rhazgord City. On the day the Rhazgord army completed its preparations to return, some of the sculptural materials and books Corvus had requested were ready. The rest would be sent later. After Corvus said goodbye to his friend Belisarius, he set off with his soldiers to his own country.